Biblical Hospitality
“When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.” (Romans 12:13 NLT)
Did you know we are called to practice hospitality?!?!
But what, exactly, is hospitality?
Hospitality is defined as “the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors or strangers.”
Biblical hospitality adds that we are to honor and obey God by serving those around us with joy.
Biblical hospitality does not just mean opening your house up for dinner parties, inviting others over for playdates and allowing just anyone to stay the night. Although, for me, those are exactly what I love to do (and have done in the past). You may be the exact opposite of me and thinking: That’s great (for you). But, I’m not a people person. I can’t afford to cook food for others. And I don’t feel comfortable opening up my house to strangers. That seems a bit too much.
That’s okay. Not everyone practices hospitality in the same way. We can practice hospitality by sharing our resources and our needs, by serving as both host and guest. You are either building up the body, or you need the body to build you up.
But what does that mean?
It means you give what you can when you can. And you allow others to help you when you need it.
Maybe you don’t have a spare room in your house that you could offer up to those in need. Maybe you are struggling to meet your families’ needs – times are hard and money is tight. (Can I get an amen?) We will have moments we are blessed with more than we need and we can share those blessings with others. And then, there are times that we find ourselves in need.
It can be overwhelming to think about sharing resources to those in need. Fear starts to seep in and tell us: Your house isn’t clean enough. Your house doesn’t look like those in the magazines. I don’t have anything to share. I can’t give that away, what if I need it? Do they really need help?
God tells us in 1 Peter 4:9:
Be hospitable to one another without complaining. (CSB)
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. (NIV)
Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. (NLT)
So, how do we know when, how and who to help?
First of all, being a part of a body of believers gives us the opportunity to share life with others and allows us the privilege to know when someone is hurting or in need.
Maybe someone needs someone to watch their dog while they are out of town. Maybe someone needs a place for their relatives to stay while they are in town (because hotels are expensive and they don’t have an extra room at their house. Maybe someone is looking to get their car repaired and you happen to know how to do the work. Maybe someone just had a baby or surgery and having a meal delivered would allow them the time to rest they need. Maybe someone needs a place to stay for the night because the roads are too snowy for them to get home. I could go on and on with needs that arise.
Second, being connected to a body of believers can help us feel comfortable asking for or accepting help when we are in need.
Let’s be honest with ourselves, we all have struggles, difficulties and worries. And, sometimes, we need help. Sometimes our families need help.
It may not be easy to think about those things and it may be very uncomfortable sharing those with others. Let me encourage you first and foremost to be sharing those with God. Yes, he already knows. Yes, he is already aware of what you are going through. But, He wants to hear from you. He wants a conversation with you. And He wants you to be honest with Him.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” (Phillippians 4:6, NLT)
After being in prayer with God about your needs, I would encourage you to share with others when you need help. I have found that when I am honest with others about my struggles, God has usually placed someone around me that is able to help. Whether that be someone to mow my lawn while my husband recovers from heart surgery, food on my table during a 6-month job loss, a play date so my kids can get their energy out or a phone call to provide encouragement.
It’s okay to accept help. It’s not a sign of weakness. It’s actually what is supposed to happen. It allows us to do what God has asked us to do. It lets others share their blessings with us. One squad member tells me, “Don’t take away my blessing,” when she offers to buy my coffee or pay for dinner.
And, I would be amiss if I didn’t remind you that God works in mysterious ways. I am always reminded and blown away by God’s reminder in Hebrews 13:2
Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it. (CSB)
